Father Judge Bill Becomes Law

Washington, D.C. — Legislation named for Father Mychal F. Judge, a member of AFSCME Local 299 (DC 37) who was struck by debris and killed in the World Trade Center while giving last rites to a dying fireman, has become law.

Judge, 68, was a Catholic priest and chaplain of the New York City Fire Department.

The Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program provides a $250,000 payment to families of firefighters, law enforcement and corrections officers, and emergency-response workers killed in the line of duty.

The Mychal Judge Police and Fire Chaplains Public Safety Officers' Benefit Act extends the federal aid to families and others designated by the most recent life insurance policy of police and fire chaplains killed in the line of duty, retroactive to Sept. 11, 2001.

The survivors of nine officers who died in the Sept. 11 attacks will also become covered under the bill, whose chief sponsors were Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.), Joseph Biden (R-Ill.) and Russell Feingold (D-Wis.). President Bush signed the bill on June